Golf putter with centrally located spheroidal enlargement

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a putter which comprises a head formed with a medial, upwardly and rearwardly extending spheroidal enlargement having its center of curvature in line with the upper edges of the heel and toe of said head, and a shaft the axis whereof intersects the transverse axis of said spheroidal enlargement.

United States Patent Inventor Stanley Benson Caldwell The Royd, Meols Drive, Hoylake, England Appl. No. 756,955 Filed Sept. 3, 1968 Patented May 11, 1971 Priority Sept. 9, 1967 Great Britain 41266 GOLF PU'l'l'ER WITH CENTRALLY LOCATED SPHEROIDAL ENLARGEMENT 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 273/ 164, 273/78, 273/ 167 Int. Cl A63b 53/04 Field of Search 273/77, 78,

[56] References Cited UNITEDSTATESPATENTS 1,154,490 9/1915 Davis 273/78 1,703,199 2/1929 McClure 273/164X 2,854,548 4/1932 Hunt 273/78 3,037,770 6/1962 Palmer.... 273/164X 3,039,776 6/1962 Faini 273/164 3,061,310 10/1962 273/78 3,218,072 11/1965 Burrm, 273/164X 3,220,733 11/1965 Saleeby 273/164X Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkharn Assistant Examiner-Richard J Apley Attorney-Linton and Linton ABSTRACT: This invention relates to a putter which comprises a head formed with a medial, upwardly and rearwardly extending spheroidal enlargement having its center of curvature in line with the upper edges of the heel and toe of said head, and a shaft the axis whereof intersects the transverse axis of said spheroidal enlargement.

Patented May 11, 1971 3,578,332

INVENTOR:

HTTORNEYS STANLEY BENSON cm WELL I GOLF PUTTER WITH CENTRALLY DOCATED SPHEROIDAL ENLARGEMENT This invention relates to golf clubs, and has for its object to provide a putter, i.e. a club designed primarily for use on a putting green, of an improved construction, which will facilitate the playing of shots with respect to both strength and directional accuracy.

According to the invention, a putter comprises a head formed with an upwardly extending spheroidal enlargement whereby the striking face at its medical part is deeper than the remainder of the head, and a shaft in connected to said head so that its axis intersects or substantially intersects the transverse axis of the said medial part of the increased depth.

The upward enlargement part is spherical in shape, with its center of curvature in alignment or substantially so, with the upper edge of the heel and toe part of the head,

According to a particular embodiment said enlargement is of a hemispherical character with the flat surface thereof lying in the plane of the striking face of the head and the corivexedly curved part extending beyond the rear face being smoothly blended into same.

The head of a putter according to the invention may be composed of any suitable material or materials, e.g. a metal or metals or a metal alloy or alloys, depending mainly' upon the weight of the head required.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying explanatory drawings which illustrate by way of example only and not of limitation, one mode of embodiment.

in said drawings:

. FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a putter head and the lower part of its shaft.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of said head from below.

FIG. 3 is a plan view, and

FIG. 4 is a section taken as on line lV-lV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation of the putter head.

Referring to said drawings, the putter illustrated comprises a head generally denoted by the letter A and a shaft B. Said head comprises a striking face 10, a heel part ll and a toe part 12, and medially disposed between said heel and toe parts ll, 12 said head is formed with an upwardly and rearvvardly extending enlargement 13 whereby the medial area of the striking face is of increased depth as compared with said heel and toe parts ll, 12.

The shaft B is attached to the head A at an angle of between 50and 60to the general longitudinal axis of the head, but may be at other required angles according to personal requirements. Further, the line of the axis Y of said shaft B intersects the transverse axis X (FlG/l and FIG. 5) of the part of the striking face 10 which is of increased depth.

It will be observed, see more'particularly FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, that the enlargement 13 is of a spheroidal shape smoothly merged into rear and upper surfaces of the head A, and that said head extends uniformly on each side of its transverse centerline.

The striking face 10 is formed with a slight rearward inclination or loft, and the juncture 15 (FIG. 4) of the sole 16 with said striking face 10 is radiused slightly so as to obviate the formation of a sharp cutting edge. Further, said sole 1 is curved from heel 11 to the toe l2.

In this instance, the head A is of a composite nature and consists of a front plate C, which may be composed of brass, and a rear body portion D of say aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, fixedly connected thereto as by riveting or in other suitable manner. Said front plate C is formed with stepped end parts C whereby there is provided in the so-formed head a through slot E which extends behind and parallel with the medial part of the striking face 10 and imparts thereto an enhanced degree of resilience in use. Alternatively said head may be of unitary construction and the slot E cast or machined inclined. If found necessary, another slot or slots or aperture or apertures may be formed in said head for the purpose of weight reduction.

The shaft B is attached to the body portion D by means of a socket formed therein at an appropriate angle and location.

It has been found in expenmen al practice, that due to centralization of the greater mass of the head A, and the particular location of the axis Y of the shaft B relatively to the axis of the head A, sighting of the club and accurately aligned hitting of a golf ball is facilitated and the propulsion force more easily controlled.

The shaft of a putter according to the invention may be connected with the head other than by means of a socket as hereinbefore described. For example, it may be attached directly thereto or to a neck formed integrally with the head. Further, said shaft may be of cranked, or offset, or other, character as admissible under the rules of golf.

1 claim: What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A golf putter having an elongated head. with toe and heel portions, a planar striking face, a rear surface, a top surface, a curved bottom surface, a spheroidal enlargement disposed centrally between said toe and heel portions, said enlargement projecting upwardly from said top surface and outwardly from said rear surface, said engagement providing an enlarged striking face at the central part of said putter head and being coplanar with said striking face, and a shaft connected to said head at said spheroidal enlargement with the axis of said shaft being at an angle of between and 60to the longitudinal axis of said head and intersecting the transverse axis of said spheroidal enlargement.

2. A putter, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said head is of a composite nature comprising a front plate and a rear body portion, and said front plate and rear body portion are connected at their end portions so as to provide a through slot behind and parallel with the striking face. 

1. A golf putter having an elongated head with toe and heel portions, a planar striking face, a rear surface, a top surface, a curved bottom surface, a spheroidal enlargement disposed centrally between said toe and heel portions, said enlargement projecting upwardly from said top surface and outwardly from said rear surface, said engagement providing an enlarged striking face at the central part of said putter head and being coplanar with said striking face, and a shaft connected to said head at said spheroidal enlargement with the axis of said shaft being at an angle of between 50*and 60*to the longitudinal axis of said head and intersecting the transverse axis of said spheroidal enlargement.
 2. A putter, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said head is of a composite nature comprising a front plate and a rear body portion, and said front plate and rear body portion are connected at their end portions so as to provide a through slot behind and parallel with the striking face. 